Let Your "Yes" Mean Yes...

When I was growing up we would try to get my mom to make promises. Not for anything important but for childish things like could we go somewhere, have a friend spend the night over the weekend, or would she do something for us.  But she would never make a promise because she said she would not want to break her word if something happened and she could not follow through on her promise.  She always said we would try or she would do her best to do something.  Her example helped to teach me the value of words and better yet the value of your word.


Jesus taught about making promises and vows in Matthew 5:33-37.

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.'  But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No,' anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

This topic is also mentioned in James 5:12.  "Above all, my brothers, do not swear - not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.  Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No" be no, or you will be condemned."  Jesus and James are not saying that you should not make promises or vows, but that you should not make them lightly.  Sometimes in life we have to make promises - when we marry, for our job... We should give these matters a lot of prayer, thought and study before making that commitment.  We should not make promises we know we cannot or are not willing to keep.  


Keeping promises is important because it builds trust and relationships with those around us.  It makes it harder for others to believe us when we break promises and we do not keep our word.  According to the Life Application Bible (p2098) "By avoiding lies, half-truth, and omissions of the truth, you will become known as a trustworthy person."


So that leaves me with one last thought.  If you take on the role or title of a job when you do not fully believe in ALL that role or title include, are you keeping the promise you made?  Are you a trustworthy person?  Does your "Yes" mean yes and your "No," no?